Just Food For Dogs Review 2026: Our Expert’s Opinion
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Dog owners are often on a constant quest to find the perfect dog food for their doggies. With many options available today in the dog food market, it can sometimes get confusing. Dry dog food manufacturers offer plenty of promises with their food, such as complete and balanced formulas with the necessary ingredients dogs need to thrive and stay healthy, but some people question these health guarantees.
With that said, what about trying fresh dog food? Better yet, you can have fresh dog food delivered right to your door. I recently had the opportunity to feed my two dogs Just Food For Dogs, and in this article, I will review this excellent product to help you determine if it is right for you and your pup.
Just for Dogs makes the food by hand in their kitchens (which are open to the public for you to see for yourself) in Irvine, California, and New Castle, Delaware. The company is known for making human-grade dog food with fresh ingredients. If you want to feed your dog fresh food but don’t have the time to make it yourself, Just Food For Dogs can be an excellent option.
The Just Food For Dogs Food Recipe
| Image | Product | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Beef and Russet Potato Recipe Fresh Frozen |
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Check Price |
Just Food For Dogs Dog Food Reviewed
If you’ve ever considered Just Food For Dogs, here you’ll find more information to help you decide if it’s right for you and your pooch.
About Just Food For Dogs Products
In addition to their complete and balanced meals, Just Food For Dogs offers supplements, treats, DIY kits, custom RX diets, and even a cat recipe.
Who Makes Just Food For Dogs and Where Is It Produced?
Just Food For Dogs was founded in 2010 by founder Shawn Buckley. When Shawn rescued Simon, a 6-month-old puppy living in the pound, he was shocked and angry at the ingredients found in commercial pet food. Hard-to-read labels and the use of artificial preservatives prompted Shawn to make his food for Simon, and instantly, Shawn noticed a difference in Simon’s overall energy and health.
He assembled a team of specialists and veterinarians to formulate healthy and balanced meals for dogs without using preservatives or dangerous ingredients. Just for Dogs uses evidence-based research to ensure their food is the healthiest of the healthy, conducting one year of feeding trials at two leading universities rather than using caged laboratory animals. On an impressive note, the company's feeding trial method is the largest humane feeding trial ever conducted, and it goes above and beyond complying with AAFCO's nutritional standards.
Which Types of Dogs is Just Food For Dogs Best Suited For?
Just Food For Dogs is suitable for any breed of dog, big or small, and all of its recipes are formulated to give your pup the best nutrition possible. Not only do they formulate recipes for healthy dogs, but they also make custom diets for pups with special needs with an RX prescription.
Whether your dog needs joint and skin support, a low-fat diet, renal support, etc., Just Food For Dogs can accommodate. There is a one-time $250 formulation fee for custom RX diets, and you’ll need to provide your pup’s medical records so that they can cater to your pup’s specific needs.
Recall History
On January 18, 2018, the company voluntarily recalled three formulas due to the possibility of the human-grade green beans being contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. The three recipes were Beef and Russet Potato, Fish and Sweet Potato, and Turducken. The recalled products were distributed in 11 Just Food For Dogs retail locations in northern and southern California and produced from November 1, 2017, to January 14, 2018. The FDA has since completed and closed this recall.
See Also: Pet Food Recall Information & Alerts
Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and bad)
My dogs and I had the pleasure of receiving the Beef and Russet Potato recipe. Here is a list of the top ingredients in this formula.
Lean Ground Beef: Lean ground beef provides essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals dogs need to thrive.
Russet Potatoes: This ingredient is controversial because potatoes contain carbohydrates, which can lead to obesity. However, potatoes provide an excellent energy source, and there is less risk when the potatoes come from a human-grade source, just like in Just Food For Dogs’ recipes.
Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes provide vitamins and minerals for your dog, such as beta-carotene, which boosts the immune system. Sweet potatoes should be cooked and never fed raw.
Green Beans: Now that the recall has been closed and the issue resolved, the green beans in Just Food For Dogs are safe, and they contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Carrots: Raw or cooked carrots provide a fantastic nutritional value to your dog’s diet. They are low in calories and contain many vitamins and minerals.
Beef Liver: Beef liver is safe for dogs to consume and provides an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Health benefits include healthy bones and teeth, a strong immune system, and an excellent energy source.
Peas: Peas are another controversial ingredient due to the ongoing research questioning whether they could cause heart disease in canines. We should note that this research has not been confirmed whether or not it causes the disease.
Apples: Apples are an exceptional source of vitamins A, C, and fiber for your dog. They are also low in protein and fat.
Additional Ingredients
Specific vitamins and minerals are needed for the recipes to be complete and balanced.
Here’s a list of additional ingredients that make this food 100% nutritious:
Shipping and Presentation
When you order the Frozen Fresh meals, the food comes neatly packed in a cardboard box with dry ice. The cardboard box is temperature-controlled to ensure your food arrives frozen. I did not notice any defects in the packaging or the box.
Personalization
Before any product is shipped, you must answer a few questions regarding your pup, such as their breed, weight, activity level, and age. This is necessary so that they can develop a nutritional plan specifically catered to your dog. It doesn’t take long to do, and once that is complete, the team of experts will provide you with the recipes they feel will suit your dog’s nutritional needs.
You will be notified via email when you can expect your shipment.
Quality and Convenience
The size of the box will depend on the amount of food you order. You may receive a small box containing 7 x 18-ounce packages, a medium box containing 21 x 18-ounce packages, or a large box containing 7 x 72-ounce packages. The food does not come pre-portioned, so you’ll need to portion it out yourself, which is a slight inconvenience. Also, the large packaging takes up a significant amount of freezer space.
Portions and Packaging
When you purchase Frozen Fresh, you can choose 18-ounce or 72-ounce packages. If you have a large dog, the 72-ounce is the wiser choice because you must use the food within five days once thawed. If you have a smaller dog, you may have to discard some of the food if you don’t use it in that time frame. Once thawed, you can portion the food and refreeze what you think you won’t use. However, once you refreeze it, the food must be used within two days after it’s re-thawed.
Also, be aware that the food comes in a large box with dry ice. A label on the outside of the box warns of the dry ice, but if you don't notice the label, you won't be aware beforehand because no card on the top warns you of the dry ice when you open the box. You'll want to be careful taking the packages out because the dry ice can cause freezer burns to your hands. The company also does not explain how to dispose of dry ice properly.
Consumer Reviews of Just Food For Dogs
Several consumers posted positive reviews after feeding their dogs Just for Dogs. Dogs that needed to gain a little weight managed to do so, and many customers said that their dogs have more energy than before and produce healthy stools. Dogs digest the food quite well, and there’s no need to add vitamins or minerals.
Pups with allergies and those will digestive issues saw an improvement after eating Just for Dogs. Positive reviews of the company’s customer service are stellar, and they are always available to answer your questions.
Pros
- Made with human-grade ingredients
- USDA inspected for quality
- No added preservatives
- Highly digestible
- Completely balanced
Cons
- Food does not come pre-portioned
- Expensive
Ingredients Analysis
| Crude Protein: | 8.5 % |
| Crude Fat: | 7% |
| Crude Fiber: | 1.5% |
| Moisture: | 75% |
| EPA/DHA: | 0.02% |
Calories per cup breakdown:
| ½ cup: | 186.5 calories |
| 1 cup: | 373 calories |
| 2 cups: | 746 calories |
Our Experience With Just Food For Dogs
When the food arrived and thawed, I was surprised at how human-like the food looked. To put this into perspective, if you have family or friends over, you’ll want to put a note on the food specifying that it is dog food and not something for a late-night snack or lunch for a human!
The food smells pleasant, and my dogs gobble it up at every feeding. I have been feeding my Boston Terrier and Border Collie/Sheltie mix this food for about one month, and so far, the results have been nothing short of amazing. They both have more energy, and their stools are healthy. I have noticed that their breath is more pleasant, and they both digest the food very well.
Just for Dogs is inspected by the USDA for quality, and all the ingredients are the same as you’ll find in a grocery store or restaurant. There are zero preservatives, and it’s completely balanced without having to add extra vitamins and minerals. Rest assured that when you feed this food to your dog, your dog receives all the necessary ingredients needed for a healthy life.
The only drawback I see is that the food is not pre-portioned, and you have to determine just how much you think you’ll use at one time before having to refreeze. However, the company emails the recommended daily feeding amounts designed for your dog. Just for Do'gs is expensive, and it may take some trial and error at first to determine how much to portion out.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for fresh dog food that delivers what it promises, look no further than Just Food For Dogs. We reviewed this product with a hands-on approach, and the outcome we can report is excellent. We highly recommend Just Food For Dogs for its nutrition and the ease of getting it delivered to your doorstep.
The only downfall we see is the lack of pre-portioned meals. However, they offer Pantry Fresh containers of the Beef and Russet Potato that do not require refrigeration until opened, making it a perfect container to throw in the car for road trips. Once opened, it will last in the fridge for up to five days.
In the end, we give this product two thumbs up!
Related read: 8 Just Food For Dogs Alternatives
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Rachel Giordano is a writer and musician living in Pensacola, Florida, with her partner and their two dogs, Aero, a Border Collie/Sheltie mix and Sophie, a Boston Terrier. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and loves writing about animals of all types. When she’s not writing about pets, she loves to write suspense/thriller novels. A musician by night and writer by day, she enjoys educating the public about the needs and requirements of animals, big and small.
